Hues and Shades
by Rochelle Templer
Summary: A collection of stories, missing scenes and reflections of the Doctor in his Sixth incarnation.
1. Along the Edges

Along the Edges

"Come on, Doctor. Don't be such a spoilsport."

"Peri, trying to avoid muddy pant cuffs and wet shoes is not being a spoilsport. It's called being prudent. I really should help you with your vocabulary."

Peri scowled, but only for a moment. The sun was out in a light green sky over an ocean of frothy, lavender water. More importantly, it was the first time in weeks that they had landed somewhere without immediately being threatened by the locals. So there was no way she was going to allow the Doctor's usual grumpy mood to ruin her fun.

"All right then you can just sit on that old, bumpy log," she shouted back.

Then she kicked off her sandals and ran along the wet sand. It was fine-grained and soft which made it feel like she was sprinting on wet mounds of clouds. The water that swished over her ankles was cool enough that she wouldn't want to take a dip in it, but was also refreshing while running around in this warm air.

A couple of minutes later, she glanced back at the log where she had left the Doctor and was surprised to not see him there.

 _'Probably went back to the TARDIS,'_ she thought. She let out long sigh and thought about heading back when a loud 'plop' caught her attention. Peri turned and had to cover her mouth with her hand to stop herself from laughing aloud.

The Doctor was currently a few feet behind her, carrying his green shoes in one hand and his rainbow umbrella in the other. He had the umbrella opened and was trying to stave off the bright beams of the sun. However, the heat was already making his golden curls limp and his face red. He was the very picture of irritated misery and Peri couldn't help but find it hilarious.

"And what are you laughing at?" he asked, his frown deepening. "This was your idea."

"It's nothing," Peri said with one last chuckle. "Hey, let's go over to those rocks. That way, we can keep our feet in the water and avoid most of the sand."

The Doctor nodded and trudged along beside her. He winced as he saw the water lapping against his pant legs. Soon, they were perched up on the rocks with the Doctor propping up his umbrella so it could continue to keep his head in the shade while Peri swung her legs back and forth.

"Look at my pants," he grumbled. "I'll have to change the minute we get back to the TARDIS. That is, if I don't want mud tracked all over the floor."

Peri rolled her eyes. "Come on, Doctor, don't tell me you never went wading before. Not on Earth or any of those other planets you've been to over the years."

"More like centuries," the Doctor replied. "And yes, I have waded before. Or rather, previous versions of me had. I can't understand why it appealed so much to my predecessors, quite honestly."

"Maybe they were better at having fun than you," Peri shrugged.

"Better?! Better?!" the Doctor echoed. "Are you implying that I don't know how to have fun? What about yesterday evening in the TARDIS library?"

"Oh sure. A whole evening spent listening to you read _Moby Dick_ out loud."

"I didn't just _read_ it. I'll have you know that that was a dramatic reading."

"Well whatever it was, it seemed to go on forever," she said. The Doctor frowned while Peri reached over and patted his arm. "I'm just kidding, Doctor. Of course you're fun…in your own way…."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows as if to object, but then smiled and put an arm around Peri's shoulders. "Well, I suppose I could have spread that reading out over more than one evening. It is a lot to take in. Perhaps, next time, I should choose something lighter. Raymond Chandler, for example?"

"Perhaps," Peri said, slinging an arm around the Doctor's waist. The truth was, she didn't really care what he chose next. No matter what, she planned on being there to listen.


	2. Duet: Taking a Tumble

Duet—Taking a Tumble

"Doctor!" Peri called out. "Doctor, where are you?"

No reply came from any of the skaters who were scattered about the ice. Peri huffed in frustration. She glided toward the edge of the lake to begin searching for him, a frown on her face.

A couple of hours earlier, the TARDIS had landed on Tularias, a resort planet that the Doctor had visited many times before. They had seen the snow on the ground on the scanner and had changed into suitable attire before venturing outside. They strolled over to the main tourist complex and were given a warm welcome once the Doctor informed them of who he was. Their enthusiasm even managed to impress Peri who had gotten used to people all over the universe knowing about the Doctor.

"We owe our planet's continued existence to the Doctor," one of the caretakers informed her. "Tularias shall always be grateful for his kindness. Feel free to take advantage of our deluxe living quarters and any of our numerous options for recreational activities."

As it turned out, the resort had a long list of activities available for them to participate in. However, as soon as ice skating was mentioned, Peri had made her decision. The Doctor had scowled at the suggestion, but Peri was undeterred.

"Come on, Doctor," she said pleadingly. "I haven't been ice skating in…I don't know how long. It'll be fun. And hey, if you don't know how, I could teach you."

"Don't know how?" the Doctor repeated. "Don't know how?! I'll have you know that I am an excellent skater."

"Of course you are," Peri said with a lopsided smile. "So let's go."

The Doctor had scowled again in response, but had also nodded in agreement. The facility had provided them with skates and had given them a ride to a wide lake which had a panoramic view of the mountains in the distance.

Peri had rushed out onto the ice right away. She had wobbled a little at first while she relearned skills that had gotten rusty. It wasn't long before she was spinning and dancing with deft precision on the ice.

The Doctor, however, had an entirely different experience. He had waited until reaching the very edge of the lake before putting his skates on and had walked out onto the ice with small steps full of trepidation. Peri had tried not to laugh at his wildly swaying form as he got his footing, but eventually, the sight of his long, blue cloak flying up over his head got the best of her.

"I thought you said that you were an excellent skater," she giggled as she carved a circle around him.

"I am," he snapped as he struggled to keep his feet from going in opposite directions. "It's just, I'm out of practice is all. I question how proficient your skills would be after two hundred years of disuse. Besides, this ice is far from ideal. Look at it. All these scratches and grooves. You'd think a herd of grifiloes had stormed through here."

Peri had no idea what a grifilo was and doubted that she really wanted to know. Instead she focused on finishing the figure eight she was working before gliding over to stand in front of him.

"Maybe you should introduce the natives to zamboni machines," she said.

"Oh, it'd be useless to even try," he harrumphed with a wave of his hand. "The Tularians are always so suspicious about any technology that is not conceived in their own laboratories. It took them centuries to embrace solar power and that was only because the fuel supplies they were using at the time were making the leaves on their trees turn a dreadful shade of brown. Not the best color to dominate the landscape when you advertise your planet as having 'the richest palette of nature's hues in the galaxy'."

Shortly after that, Peri had tried to show him the moves that had helped her win a regional figure skating contest when she was twelve. She was so focused on giving a flawless performance; she hadn't noticed it when he skidded away. By the time she had finished, the Doctor had disappeared.

Peri watched a couple of skaters swish by her. It seemed as though everyone else on the ice was skating in pairs or groups. While she had had fun skating by herself for the past hour; a part of her still wished that she didn't have to enjoy this on her own.

"Doctor," she yelled again. She waited several moments for a response before giving up and dashing off toward the center of the lake.

' _Great, just great,'_ she silently fumed. ' _The one time we don't end up on some horribly dangerous planet and he decides to go pout instead of having fun. Well, I, for one, am sick of running down corridors. He can just sulk for the rest of the day for all I care.'_

Peri began to skate again, determined to make the most of this mini-vacation from trouble. She had just finished another figure eight when one of the skaters left his group and glided over to her. He was a short, trim man with green eyes that glittered with eagerness.

"Well, hello there," he said with a grin that matched the cockiness in his tone. "Now, don't tell me that you're here alone. A beautiful woman such as yourself."

Peri rolled her eyes. Apparently lame pick-up lines would always find a way to transcend the boundaries of time and space.

"No," she replied. "I, I'm not alone. I've just lost track of my friend is all. I'm sure _he_ will be along any minute now."

Peri had hoped that her emphasis on the word "he" would be enough to discourage any further advances. Unfortunately, the universe frequently did not play along with her plans.

"Oh no, that simply won't do," he tutted. "Your friend must have very questionable judgment indeed to lose track of someone as ravishing as you. Perhaps I could convince you to consider an alternative to his company?"

' _Why do I always end up running into all the creeps and weirdoes?'_ Peri asked herself. ' _Is there something about my face that just screams "jerk magnet"?'_

"Thank you," she blurted out. "But I think I'll just wait for my friend. It, it'd be rude, wouldn't it? To just take off without saying anything?"

The irony that she was using the very behavior that the Doctor had perpetrated on her as an excuse to decline this invitation had not escaped Peri's notice. Still, her determination to escape this guy's clutches was incentive enough to go with the first thing that popped into her brain.

"Now don't be like that," the man said, blocking her path. "Whatever he's offering, I'm sure I can top it. Come on. Let me prove it to you."

Peri ground her jaw. This was someone who was used to getting his way. She remembered growing up around way too many guys like that in her hometown of Baltimore. She knew that there were two probable outcomes to this situation, neither of which she was looking forward to.

"Look," she said. "I appreciate the offer. I really do. But I think it would be better to find my friend before making any other plans."

Peri took a step back and waited for her words to sink in. She knew that he had finally gotten the message when the confident grin was replaced with thin lips pressed tightly together in anger.

"Fine. I get it," he snarled. "And here I tried to do you a favor. But I guess I didn't live up to your standards, did I, Your Highness? I should have known that something was up when no one else bothered to approach you. And don't you think for one moment that you'll get a second chance either. You can just spend the rest of your time here alone and miserable for all I care."

The man spun around and skated away, his strides quick and forceful.

"No wonder your 'friend' ditched you," he yelled over his shoulder. "Who'd want to be stuck with an ice princess like you?"

The man soon disappeared in the crowd. Once he was gone, Peri closed her eyes and let out a long sigh

' _So, Outcome Two it is then,'_ she thought to herself. ' _I guess that's better than dealing with melodrama and clinginess.'_

A brisk, chilly wind swept by. Peri shivered as she resumed her slow pace along the edges of the lake. She didn't regret getting rid of the guy, but it still managed to remind her of times she preferred to forget about. Not too long ago, she would frequently agree to dates and short-term relationships she hadn't really wanted just to avoid the accusation of being cold and snobbish. It was enough to keep her popular in high school and then in college, but it definitely did nothing for her own happiness. Back then, she learned quickly how to deal with the inevitable disappointment that came with all those compromises.

Peri swiped away a tear that had formed at the corner of her eye before it had a chance to slide down her face. She was glad that that jerk couldn't see this because the last thing she wanted was to give him the satisfaction of thinking that she was crying over him. Granted, the fact that she was crying over past mistakes and her own insecurities wasn't a whole lot better, but at least she wouldn't have to put up with someone pawing at her while she wallowed in her misery.

Peri took a deep breath as she worked to calm down. It was times like this, when she actually reflected on who she had been up to the point when she first ended up on the TARDIS, that made her wonder why the Doctor had accepted her request to travel with him. What did a man like him, a Time Lord who had experienced so many amazing things throughout the universe, see when he looked at someone like her? Someone so small, unremarkable, who knew so little outside her own sheltered existence.

She blinked away the rest of her tears and shivered as the wind cut through her again. She needed to warm up, but was also reluctant to leave the ice before she had a chance to have at least a little bit of fun again.

"Sorry about that, old chap. Don't mind me."

Peri let out a sigh. Even though she had been introduced to that voice only a few months ago, it was one she doubted she could ever forget or overlook in a crowd. She turned around and was not surprised to see the Doctor a couple feet away, waving someone off.

"There you are," she said as she skated over to him. "Where have you been anyway?"

"Oh around," the Doctor said, his eyes looking everywhere but at her face. Peri wondered if he was just trying to avoid talking about whatever had given her wet, red-rimmed eyes and eventually decided that she didn't really want to think about it anymore either.

She was about to ask him if he was ready to leave when the sound of shouting caught her attention. She looked over to see the same man who had harassed her getting into a confrontation with another man whose skating partner looked entirely too pleased to be the center of this argument. As the girl preened at the prospect of two men fighting over her, Peri felt her irritation grow again. Eventually, the man who had been such a nuance to Peri appeared to have won, much to her displeasure.

"Ooo that jerk again," she said. "I really hope someone puts him in his place someday."

"Yes," the Doctor said. "I imagine it will happen eventually. But then, who knows? Perhaps it will happen even sooner than we might anticipate."

Just as Peri started to ask him what he meant by that, the man suddenly slipped across the ice violently. She could see a tiny glint of metal spring from one of his skates which had the effect of disrupting his balance entirely. It wasn't long before he ended up flinging himself, head first, into a nearby snow bank. Peri laughed at the sight of his legs flailing helplessly as the other skaters tried to dig him out.

"Oh, that was priceless," Peri chuckled. "He certainly got what was coming to him."

"He did, didn't he?" the Doctor smirked. Something in his tone immediately made Peri suspicious.

"You knew that would happen," she insisted.

"I?" he said with a theatrical flourish. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Nice try, Doctor," Peri replied. "But I'm not buying it. Somehow you knew that that was going to happen, didn't you?"

"Why Miss Perpugilliam Brown what in the name of Rassilon are you implying?"

"Doctor…."

"You know these ice skates are remarkable things. Quite remarkable," the Doctor continued, unperturbed by her accusations. "On the surface, they are identical to the versions from your Earth. But if you look closer, you'll see some modifications that help increase the wearer's stability on the ice. As useful as these modifications are, they do have certain…weak points. For example, an energy pulse from, oh, say, a sonic lance set at just the right frequency can cause them to break apart, rendering the skate absolutely worthless. Now, if that were to happen while someone was wearing such a skate and he was to try to use it on the ice…I could see it leading to some rather unfortunate results."

Peri laughed again and covered her face with her hand. She was certain that that was as close to a confession as she was going to get from him. When she looked up at him again, he was still watching the comical scene off in the distance with the same smirk on his face. She surprised herself and him by throwing her arms around his waist. The Doctor responded by gasping in surprise.

"Peri? What's this? Why are you….?"

"Thank you, Doctor," she said, squeezing him tight.

"I, I don't know what you mean," he said, stumbling over the words.

"Yes you do," she laughed. "Thank you."

The Doctor finally laughed with her. Another biting wind made her shiver. Peri was about to move away when the Doctor drew his cloak around the both of them, sheltering her from the cold.

"Now," he said, starting to move. "We've a little time left before dinner and the sunsets here on Tularias are not to be missed. Especially in wintertime."

Keeping his cloak wrapped around them, the Doctor put his arm around Peri's waist and took off toward the horizon. For her part, Peri was shocked at the graceful, confident strides the Doctor was taking.

"Hey, you really are pretty good at this," she said as she skated alongside him.

"As I know I already told you earlier," he said with a slight scowl. "Like I said, I just needed time to reacquaint myself with the skill was all. There was no point in having a go of it with you until I did."

Peri shook her head. Now she understood why he had disappeared at one point. The Doctor was busy regaining his skating abilities and hadn't wanted to ruin her experience by making her tolerate his blundering about. Especially upon having seen what a good skater she was. A part of her wished that he was a little more direct in his intentions, but then again, Peri figured that he was usually about as much in the dark as she was when it came to how they interacted.

The Doctor guided her into a fast, wide circle on the ice, causing her to yelp with giddy excitement while clinging to him. Life with the Doctor was never boring.

She continued to contemplate that even as twin suns dipped down and set the sky ablaze with colors almost as vivid as the ones the Doctor wore.


	3. Chimera

Chimera

 **Author's Note:** This is sort of a fix-it fic in response to the comic The World Shapers from _Doctor Who Magazine_. I also incorporate my Season 23B concept into it which means an older Jamie McCrimmon is traveling with the Sixth Doctor at this point.

For more info on my Season 23B head-canon, check out my profile. :)

* * *

 _There was a tumult ripping the fabric of space and time apart._

 _The Doctor had answered a distress signal from another Time Lord and found himself in landscapes that were all too familiar._

' _Seas…all around us…Voords…Marinus….'_

 _It wasn't long before he realized that temporal forces had become unbalanced and were threatening the entire planetary system._

' _Voords…mutated…Cybermen…Planet 14….'_

 _He knew that he could not let the Voords complete their evolution into Cybermen or allow them to have access to a machine that could destroy galaxies. The Doctor had gone back to the planet that had been Marinus to halt the impending disaster._

' _World-shaper…protective shield…have to stop it….'_

 _Throughout all of this, the Doctor had friends alongside him, Peri and Frobisher. Friends he sorely missed now._

 _And there was another friend too, a very old friend._

" _Oh Doctor! Doctor, I knew ye'd come back one day."_

" _Let me come wit' ye. There's nothing for me here. Please Doctor. This one last time."_

 _The Doctor had been wary of bringing his old friend along, but he simply could not say 'no'. It was always so hard to say 'no' to him when he asked in plaintive tone. On top of that, it had felt wonderful to have his dear friend back at his side, no matter how elderly he had become._

 _However, his foreboding had turned out to be prophetic when faced with a band of half-mutated Voords, bent on power and conquest and a dangerous device that was guarded against tampering. The Doctor was frantically trying to find a solution and was facing the probability that he might have to give up his life in order to stop the machine when his friend decided to take matters into his own hands._

" _I ne'er wanted to die in my bed, Doctor. Goodbye."_

' _No…no, Jamie, stop! Please don't….'_

" _I'll nae let ye down, Doctor….I ne'er have…."_

' _No! Jamie!'_

 _But it was too late. The Highlander had thrust his sword into the heart of the machine and had vaporized himself out of existence. All the Doctor could do now was run as time spiraled out of control and threatening to swallow him up into the swirling maelstrom._

 _Suddenly, the landscape faded into a black nothingness. The Doctor continued to run, even though he knew it was futile. As he raced away from the void, a single thought reverberated in his brain._

' _Jamie…Jamie's dead. Because of me. Because he sacrificed himself for me.'_

' _What have I done? Why did I take him away from Scotland? From his home? I should have never gone there. I should have let him live his life in peace.'_

 _The emptiness was catching up with the Doctor. Soon, he was hurled into a bottomless abyss, falling without end, disappearing into oblivion. Only his deep regret and sorrow accompanied him._

' _Jamie…Jamie, I'm sorry…Jamie….'_

" _Doctor?"_

' _Jamie? Jamie, it's all my fault. Please forgive me.'_

* * *

"Doctor!"

"Doctor! Wake up!"

The Doctor let out a cry as his eyes flew open. His entirely body shuddered violently as he worked to slow his racing breaths and hearts. Cold sweat dripped down his brow. Gradually, his eyes focused and he could see Jamie leaning over him.

"Jamie…?"

"Doctor? Are ye all right?" the piper asked him. "Where did ye go?"

The Doctor put a hand to his face and rubbed his eyes. It took him a few seconds to realize that he was lying on a couch in his old study. Jamie was kneeling on the floor in front of him, the Scot's hands clasping his shoulders. The Doctor slowly sat up, shaking his head slightly.

"Go?" he repeated, still disoriented.

"Aye. I found ye in here quaking and mutterin'. I thought mebbe ye were dreamin' or had sent yer mind somewhere. Then ye started thrashing and callin' for me. Ye were in such a bad way, I knew I had to wake ye up."

By this point, the Doctor's mind had cleared enough for him to figure out that he had indeed been dreaming.

' _None of it was real,'_ he thought. ' _The Voords turning into Cybermen, the world-shaper tuning Marinus into Mondas, Jamie….he…it was all a dream.'_

' _But it felt so real….'_

The Doctor stared at the piper next to him. The Jamie in his nightmare had been an elderly man, living in seclusion and beaten down by life. This Jamie was still early in the prime of his life. True, the piper had his sorrows and regrets too, but he was still full of hope, vitality and a recently renewed contentment over being able to travel in the TARDIS again.

Most important of all, Jamie was alive. Alive and safe.

"Doctor…?"

The Doctor grabbed Jamie's upper arms and pulled him into a bear hug. In his mind's eye he could still see the piper's skeletal remains just before they turned charred dust. He clung even tighter to Jamie and closed his eyes as he tried to wipe the image from his mind.

Jamie was initially startled, but soon returned the embrace.

"It's all right, Doctor," he reassured him. "It was jes a dream."

"Yes," the Doctor said, giving him one last squeeze before letting him go. "But Jamie, it was so, so vivid. It…it felt like something from a story and yet it had such a reality to it."

"What do ye mean?"

The Doctor ran a hand through his golden curls as he shifted to lean back against the couch. Jamie got up from the floor and sat down next to him.

"I had gone to a planet, Marinus," he explained. "I had been there once before. This was quite a while before I met you, back when I was in my original body. There were these beings that lived there, Voords. They're cruel with just enough cunning to carry out their murderous schemes. I had received a distress signal and had arrived there with Peri and Frobisher."

"Aye, Peri I remember," Jamie nodded. "But this Frobisher...is he another friend of yers?"

"Yes," the Doctor said distractedly. "Something had gone wrong with time there. The Voords were turning into Cybermen. Marinus was being transformed into the Cybermen's home planet of Mondas."

"Ye mean, these Voords creatures were what the Cybermen were before?" Jamie asked. "Is that where they came from?"

"Oh no, of course not," the Doctor scoffed with a wave of his hand. "Mondas used to be a twin planet of Earth's. Marinus was in an entirely different galaxy. No, the Cybermen used to be like humans, not Voords. Looking at it now, I can see that it was a ridiculous idea. But in that dream…."

"Ah well, that's nae so surprising," Jamie said. "Dreams can have a sense to them that fits while ye're in it, even if it's really nonsense."

"True, very true," the Doctor replied. "Anyway, these half-evolved Voords had gotten hold of a weapon that could destroy worlds, even entire planetary systems. I had gone back to Marinus to stop them. But I…I couldn't. I couldn't."

"Is that why ye were callin' for me?" the piper asked. "To help ye stop them?"

"No!" the Doctor replied more forcibly than he intended. "No, I…Jamie, in my dream, I went back to Scotland to see you because I couldn't remember the details of one of our encounters with the Cybermen while I was in my second form. You were a very old man with a matted beard and thin, scraggily hair."

"Ye're nae exactly painting a verra good picture here, Doctor," Jamie frowned.

"You were living in a derelict croft on the edge of the moors," the Doctor continued, oblivious. "All of your neighbors thought you were mad because you had told them about your travels through time and space with me for years."

"Ha! Now I _know_ ye were dreaming," the piper smirked. "As if I'd be daft enough to tell anyone aboot all that. No one would ever believe me."

"You begged me to take you with me," the Doctor murmured, looking past Jamie. "All those lonely years spent waiting for me to come back…. And all you wanted was to come with me one last time. I knew it wasn't right. I knew that I should have left well enough alone, but I…."

The Doctor's words trailed off as he continued to stare at some distant point in his brain. After almost a minute of silence, Jamie leaned closer to him.

"Doctor," the Scot said quietly. "That me that was in this dream…it dinna end well for him, did it?"

The Doctor did not seem to hear him. He continued to sit silent and still for another minute before snapping back to life and grabbing the piper by his shoulders.

"Jamie, listen to me and listen carefully," he said sternly. "I need you to give me your word that you won't do anything overly rash while you're traveling with me."

"Ye're a fine one to talk. All the times ye've gotten into trouble up to yer neck…."

"I mean it, Jamie," the Doctor interrupted. "You give me your word that you'll mind what I say and not throw your life away in some imprudent attempt to protect me. If you don't I will take you straight back to Scotland right now. And don't think for one moment that I wouldn't or couldn't do it either. I have far more control over the TARDIS than my predecessor ever did."

"Ye cannae do that," Jamie scowled at him. "Ye promised that I would have an equal say over when I leave the TARDIS again. Ye said it would nae jes be yer choice, but mine tae."

"I haven't forgotten," the Doctor said darkly. "But I'm fully prepared to break that promise if it means saving your life."

The piper glared at him even more, but managed to take a deep, calming breath before speaking again.

"Look, Doctor, I know ye're worried aboot my safety," he said. "Aye, ye always did worry aboot that. But ye cannae dwell on it. Now, I won' do anything completely daft, but I cannae promise that I'll sit and do nothing if ye're in danger and need my help."

"No, Jamie," the Doctor shot back. "Don't you understand? I can't go through it again. I can't. After Peri…."

The Doctor abruptly stopped talking, but it was too late. It would be impossible for Jamie to miss the implication behind his words. The piper knew him too well. He turned away from the Scot, unable to look him in the eye. The Doctor was about to get up and leave when Jamie took hold of his forearm, preventing him from moving.

"Doctor, I understand," he said. "I do. Yer dream…ye're still mourning over what happened to Peri. Ye still think it was yer fault. And ye think that something will happen to me if I stay wit' ye."

"I know that death is never very far behind me," the Doctor murmured. "I knew that long before I met you. And yet, I still believed that I could keep the people the people I travel with safe. For centuries I firmly believed that. If I hadn't, I would have never been able to take anyone with me in the TARDIS. But perhaps, I was just deluding myself. Perhaps, I simply wanted to believe so I could rationalize taking on companions when I knew full well that I would be placing them in mortal peril on a regular basis. What sort of person would be so willing to risk lives…wonderful, brilliant lives…just to stave off his own loneliness?"

"It's nae like that," Jamie insisted.

"Isn't it?" the Doctor snapped. "And how many times have I placed you in hazardous situations? How many times have you been injured during one of our "little scrapes"? Can you honestly tell me that you've never thought that you might not make it out of our latest exploit in one piece?"

"No, I cannae say that," Jamie said, his tone somber. "'Tis true that, there were times when I thought we'd nae make it. But don' ye see, Doctor? That's true no matter where I am."

"Jamie…."

"No, Doctor," the piper said. "We had a talk like this before when ye gave me back my memories and took me wit' ye while ye were working for the CIA. I know ye might nae remember it, but I do. I told ye back then that there are always risks and that I'd rather face them alongside ye while living the life I choose to live. I still stand by those words. And mebbe I dinna know Peri all that well, but I'm pretty sure she'd agree wit' me that all this…traveling wit' ye and all the mad, wonderful things we get to see and do…all this is worth so much more than the chance that something bad could happen. And as much as ye say that something bad could happen, it seems to me that that 'tis far less likely than ye seem to think it is. Ye've said yerself that most of yer companions end up leaving by choice and go off to their own lives."

"That is true," the Doctor conceded. "However, even one life lost is too many when I could have prevented it."

Jamie patted his arm, causing the Doctor to look over at him at last.

"Ye cannae save everyone," he said solemnly. "I know ye want to, and I know that ye'll do everything ye can to keep yer friends safe. But ye cannae always win. It does nae mean that ye're a bad man. It jes means ye're human."

"No, I'm not, actually," the Doctor replied. "I'm a Time Lord."

"Och, ye know what I mean," Jamie said.

"Yes, yes I do," the Doctor said with a wan smile. "Thank you, Jamie."

The Doctor patted the piper's arm before stretching his arms over his head while Jamie stood up from the couch.

"I don' know aboot ye, but I'm hungry," Jamie said.

"I could stand to eat too," the Doctor nodded. "What would you like?"

"I don' know. How aboot another one of those take-a-part meals ye had me try the other night?"

"It's takeaway," the Doctor corrected. "And you surprise me, Jamie. I didn't think you would become such a fan of ersatz Chinese food."

"It grows on ye," Jamie shrugged bashfully. "Ye're the one who was always tellin' me to try something besides porridge and haggis for a change."

"Quite so. Come on. Let's get ourselves a tray-full and I'll show you one of my favorite movies: _A Man for All Seasons_. Mind you, it did not play out exactly like the movie would have you believe. I've met King Henry the VIII more than once, and I can tell you that…."

"Um, Doctor," Jamie said, clearly wanting to change the subject. "Ye mentioned that ye and Peri used to travel wit' this chap Frobisher. What was he like?"

"Frobisher? Fascinating person, really," the Doctor replied. "Mind you, he looked like a penguin most of the time, so it took a little while for Peri to get used to him."

"A what?!"

"A penguin. An Emperor penguin to be precise. It's a rather large, semi-aquatic bird that lives in Antarctica which is around the South Pole on your Earth. Anyway, he used to tell Peri the most far-fetched stories about…."

"Wait a minute…. Ye're sayin' that there are large, talking birds on Earth? Och, go on, Doctor…."

"No, he just _looked_ like a penguin, Jamie. He wasn't actually one. He's a shape-shifter. A Whifferdill from the planet Xenon."

"Who chose to look like a bird…?"

"He never really explained it, and I never felt the need to ask. He seemed to be particularly fond of that shape. As I was saying, I met Frobisher in some really interesting circumstances. There was a bounty on my head…."

Jamie continued to shake his head incredulously as the Doctor led him toward the kitchen for another evening of good-natured ribbing and even more agreeable camaraderie.


	4. The Moments Between

The Moments Between

 **Author's Note:** This takes place between seasons twenty-two and twenty-three.

 **The Warrior of Twilight:** Thank you. I know just what you're talking about: that wonderful trilogy they had with Six and Jamie from Big Finish that started with City of Spires. That trilogy was my introduction to Big Finish and I absolutely loved it. Not only did I become addicted to BF, but I also fell in love with the idea of Jamie traveling around with Sixie in some alternate timeline. Thus, my Season 23B concept. :) And yes, there will be other chapters that will feature the two of them.

* * *

Peri was confused.

The Doctor had spent most of the day rattling off a list of places he wanted to go to next and telling her all about each one in the fanciest language he could use. Peri had told him to pick whatever he wanted and had gone off to look after the plants in her room. As she was leaving, he told her to dress for a nice dinner because he planned on landing just in time for one wherever they ended up. When she was ready to return to the console room, she had expected him to tell her what their destination was going to be.

Instead, the console room was completely empty. And from what she could tell on the monitors, they were still in the time vortex.

"Doctor?" she called out. No response. She looked to see if perhaps he was doing some maintenance on the TARDIS, but saw no sign of him anywhere.

Peri sighed and turned back to the corridors. Given how big the TARDIS was, it could take hours if not days to find him, and she wasn't sure how to locate him using the instruments on the control panel. She tried to think back on their conversations from earlier that day, but couldn't think of anything that the Doctor said that would give her a hint to where he was now.

' _Well…might as well look around. It's either that or stand here for who knows how long….'_

She strolled back down the main corridor, the skirt of her dress swishing near her ankles and her eyes scrunched as she tried to think of where she should search first. Peri felt her stomach grumble, so she tried the kitchen first. Unfortunately, the Doctor wasn't there, but she did see some dirty dishes on the counter.

Peri frowned. It would be easy enough for her to make something for herself, but a part of her still didn't like the idea of the Doctor having dinner without her and then disappearing. Especially when he had acted like he was excited to take her somewhere.

She let out a huff and went back out into the corridor. She tried the library and the alternate console room, but had no luck. She was just about to head back to her room when a noise behind her caught her attention. She whirled around and followed the sound into what looked like another greenhouse from the corridor.

After stepping in through the doorway, Peri paused and took in the sight of the plants around her. The layout wasn't like any greenhouse she had ever seen. It looked more like the room was a piece of a forest that had been transplanted into the TARDIS. She looked up to see a light blue glass ceiling with white, pin-point lights that glowed through frosted panes. The light dimmed slightly as she reached the center of the room and found the Doctor standing next to a table.

"Ah, there you are, Peri," he grinned at her. He swept an arm over the setting on the table. "Dinner is served."

"And what's all this, Doctor?" she smiled as she walked closer to him. "I thought we were going to go to one of the moons of Trixalis or land next to the waterfalls of Perlodin."

"Well, we can do that later," the Doctor said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I've had this room for so long and never had an occasion to use it. Then it occurred to me: who better than a botany student could appreciate this room?"

Peri smiled as she sat down and craned her neck around to get a better look at the variety of flowers in bloom near the table. She glanced back at the Doctor and blinked in surprise as she realized that he had switched his normal rainbow suit for one with an identical cut, but with only hues of blue.

"You should wear that suit more often," Peri said. "It looks good on you."

"This? Bah," the Doctor replied. "Too plain. I'm only wearing it because some of the flowers here don't respond well to yellow and orange. Nasty reaction, really. Reminds me of the time I went to Yorolus. It was right in the middle of their 'Coming of Age' ceremony…."

Peri was curious at the idea that there were flowers that didn't like certain colors, but she decided to save that question for later. For now, she just wanted to enjoy the beauty of the room and the listen to the Doctor spin another story from his travels.

More than anything else though, she wanted to hold onto this moment where the most amazing man she had ever met had crafted a world just for the two of them.


	5. Currency

Currency

 **Author's Note:** This takes place after Evelyn Smythe had been traveling with the Doctor for a while. For my readers who don't know who she is, she is a Big Finish original companion and I highly recommend anyone who hasn't to listen to the audio plays she is in with Sixie. They are wonderful together.

Also, thanks to whoever submitted my story to the Sixth Doctor story community. :) I'm thrilled and I hope my readers will enjoy this and future chapters.

* * *

Doctor Evelyn Smythe frowned as she surveyed the fruits of her labors, her brow crinkling slightly.

Over the course of many years spent in academia, she had learned to cultivate patience: both with herself and with the efforts of her students. She knew that, sometimes, any project worth pursuing, be it research or writing, would present a variety of frustrations and potential failures. Then, of course, there were the natural doubts and irritations that came when teaching people who had apparently peaked in their intellectual pursuits when they had mastered their own contributions to the study of mixology. However, rather than allowing these things to derail her determination or her passion for her work, Evelyn had learned to take those moments in as the salt that added flavor to life.

Still, it was difficult to be so generous when trying to concentrate on what she was doing while the Doctor continued to ramble on and on about his travels.

"…and did I mention the time that I arrived in France and dined with Marie Antoinette?" he said. "Lovely woman. Far more charming and erudite than many have depicted her over the years. Oh, the conversations we had over our meals. Mind you, these days it seems the only thing people remember her for is that "let them eat cake" story which was a complete fabrication, concocted, I'm sure by…."

"By those who had loathed the aristocracy, yes, I know, Doctor," Evelyn interrupted. "While I might not have been there, I do have the benefit of years of scholarly research to help me separate the fact from the fanciful fiction. Although…one thing that cannot be disputed is that she eventually lost her head due to the unrest surrounding her. Which is exactly the situation I fear we will be in soon if this plan of yours doesn't work."

"Pah, of course it will work," the Doctor said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "You heard what the king said. He simply wants to try one of those chocolate cakes of yours that I have been rhapsodizing about over dinner."

"Yes," Evelyn said, spreading the icing over the top of her finished cake. "And while I appreciate your compliments on my baking skill, Doctor, did you have to go on about it quite so much to him? The way he looked at me when he sent us off to this kitchen…I'm pretty sure it was very similar to the expression Robespierre had on his face when assessing a potential victim for the guillotine."

"Yes," the Doctor said, his tone slightly more somber. "Sadly, some of these colonies in the 30th century degenerated into feudal governments with all the usual problems and vices such systems tend to suffer from. If I remember my history, this isn't even one of the worst arrangements out there during this time period."

"Your history, but it's my future, Doctor," Evelyn said, leaning down to touch up the sides of the cake. "It's clear to me that there are too many people who didn't pay enough attention in their history classes. If they had, they would have known better than to start up all this nonsense again. Too many people see little value in history."

"Indeed," the Doctor said. "But don't worry about us. I've had many of your cakes, Doctor Smythe, and I know that once he tries this, he'll forget all about those ridiculous threats to throw my TARDIS off a cliff."

"Yes, you've certainly had plenty of experience with my baking," Evelyn laughed. The Doctor opened his mouth in indignation, but she chose to ignore it. "I suppose I should be glad that even futuristic despots have a weakness for chocolate."

Evelyn smoothed over one last peak of frosting before standing up straight again. The finished product certainly looked like one of her best efforts. If her students had been here, she was confident that it would have disappeared in a very short time period. She just hoped that it would also be good enough for a temperamental ruler on the outskirts of the galaxy.

"Doctor."

"Hmmm?"

"Is it usually like this for you?" she continued. "Being in life-or-death situations? Having lives depend upon the smallest things?"

"I will admit to a high frequency of…shall we say 'high pressure' situations," the Doctor said, tugging at his earlobe. "Call it one of the perils of unlimited travel through time and space."

"And the companions you've had before," Evelyn added. "I'm sure they quickly became aware of this. And they were able to help you on your many fantastic adventures."

"Yes," the Doctor replied. "I've been very fortunate to forge friendships with some of the best people the universe has to offer."

"I see," Evelyn nodded. "You've told me about some of them: a 17th century Highlander, a genius from the 23rd century, a brigadier of the armed forces, a warrior from a savage world. I imagine their skills have come in quite handy in your travels. It would be difficult if you were traveling with someone with very limited means to assist you."

"Perhaps," the Doctor shrugged. "But it's not something I've had to worry about. The people who travel with me tend to have gifts that go beyond what others would recognize right away."

"You mean like the ability to make delicious chocolate cakes," Evelyn said with something between a laugh and a sigh. Suddenly, she felt a hand pat her shoulder.

"That is an asset to be sure," the Doctor said with a gentle smile. "However, I do not choose my companions based on how useful I think they will be to me. The people who join me on the TARDIS are there because of the essence of who they are. It's from there, Evelyn, that all those things that are important when traveling in time and space come from." Evelyn smiled as she shooed the Doctor's hand off her shoulder.

"Thank you, Doctor," she said quietly. Then she turned back to her cake. "Now, I suppose we should serve this before His Majesty becomes impatient again."

"Quite," the Doctor nodded. "Shall we go?"

"Yes Doctor. Oh and…."

' _smack_!"

"Ouch!"

"Doctor, you really are incorrigible," Evelyn scolded. "I know I've told you more than once to stop trying to poke at the icing with your fingers."

"It was just along the edge," the Doctor said, rubbing his hand. "I doubt he would have noticed. He's not exactly the most observant, is he?"

"No he isn't, but I would rather not take any chances at this point," Evelyn said. "Now, behave or they'll be no more cakes…or any other confections for that matter…on the TARDIS for a long time."

The Doctor made a noise that could be taken as a grumble, but obediently nodded his head. Evelyn chuckled at him again as the two of them walked out of the kitchen together.


End file.
